Place of Honor
by star-struck-imagination
Summary: She has always been his silent servant, helping him where no one else could. He had been her lord and her love interest. But what happens when love collides with duty? Will she be able to make her feelings reach him? Or not?


**A/N: **This is another piece of work for **Kirai**'s _"Never ending Challenge" _on Dokuga. I have to state that, I am not a native English speaker so there will be mistakes, for which I am sorry, though I do try to improve my knowledge. Hope you guys will enjoy this little oneshot.

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_**Place of Honor**_

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"Sire! Sire! Sire!" a squeaky voice rang through the corridors of the wide shiro, bouncing off the wooden surfaces in mellow echoes though it still reached his sensitive ears, making him hurry his pace.

"Sire, please come back! My Lord and my Lady will be very unpleased with this behavior of my young sire! You have to meet the princess of the Northern Lands today! Sire?" it continued to assault his ears as he lipped from one of the windows he was passing, fearing that the aura he was feeling swelling up against his senses would soon become unbearable.

Sniffing the warm air of the sunset, he figured that he had about two hours of freedom before his father would come to get him and make him talk to some over-sophisticated, over-saturated girl that belonged to the northern tribe of cats. He hated that tribe with a passion but he couldn't quite tell his sire that or risk some heavy punishment for not trying to get along. Or at least stay with that female, that only wanted him for the power he had over the land at such a young age, for an hour or so. An omiai made by his parents was definitely not the thing he wanted to go through. Feeling the soft breeze on his suddenly cold skin, he pushed his feet on the cloud of energies he had formed under him and slashed through the sky with ease at a speed no human or lower youkai could match. He wanted to evade the castle as much as he could before he was dragged back in by the neck, like he knew his father will do. He didn't have time to spend on the grounds as he would have had in the past.

Flying to the quite large village that surrounded the shiro with all it's busy life and all the humans he could never manage to count, the young lord of the West watched from above the movement of the creatures his father adored so much, creatures that, he for one, in his two hundred years of living on this planet, could never understand. Inhaling deeply the quite pleasant smells, though his nose wrinkled when met with the uncomfortable odor of the ningen, the silver head male lowered himself to the ground, feeling the eyes of the peasants fixed on him.

Holding his head high, his nose up in the air, watching the humans get away from his path with a cold gaze, the young taiyoukai all but floated through the masses of people, his nose picking up both females and males, both humans and youkai. He marveled at the fact that they could live in peace here, though it was a known fact that humans and demons didn't get along. He wondered if other places, other castles had villages such as this.

'_The northern one sure doesn't. For that, this one is sure...'_ he thought, his eyes moving freely from one point to the other, lingering only seconds more on a pair of hanyo siblings that played away from the unusually loud crowd of demon children.

Inching closer to the playground, the tai crocked a brow at the fearful looks the two young children threw him, looks that made him want to sooth out their angst. Why were the children so scared of him all of a sudden? He didn't remember ever doing anything to them. Sure, the major population hated half-breeds and even their parents couldn't quite stand them, but not all believed they were useless or that they should never have lived in the first place.

"Sire! Sire!" the sudden mantra coming from the demon children drew his attention to the larger group, his eyes once again empty of any warmth he may have possessed, his blank face cutting the enthusiasm from their bubbly faces.

Turning only a bit to look at them, seeing all their small heads bowing to him, he waited to hear what they wanted from his person. He was known for not having much of a patience but he blamed it all on his young age.

"Sire, don't go near those halflings! They should never be graced with your presence, my lord!" the bigger female of the group, a cute dragon youkai stepped forward, gesturing afterwards towards the two smaller children, their sorrowful faces making even the stone heart of the young prince move in its place.

The disgust in her aura was very evident, hatred waffling from her body for the two innocent kids. Cute she may have been, with her wavy, green hair, large ruby eyes and caramel colored skin, but she, for sure, was not as beautiful at heart. Humming for himself, not listening anymore, as the girl tried to gain his attention, the moon-kissed lord walked to the pair, one girl and one boy, and looked at them fully. Fragile, beautiful and nothing but sweet, that was what met his keen eyes and sensitive nose. Raven locks, round faces full of small cuts and bruises, probably from a fight with the band of misfits that now tried to block his vision from the trembling pair, adorned with curling stripes on each cheek, having the same color as their eyes, small bodies, still undeveloped, everything in their physiognomy made him realize how pitiful these creatures were. All but one thing: their eyes. A pair as blue as the clearest sky that shone vibrantly at him, the other violet as the first flowers that would bloom in the wilderness in spring. That particular trait made them stand out, their gaze, though filled with fear, watched him, laced with pride at being what they were, not even once lowering. They were proud of what they were, especially the older girl that hugged her twin brother to her chest, her clawed fingers digging in the palms of her small hands.

He would have stood there a long time if his father's aura wouldn't have woken him up, making his eyes jump to the skies were a large form appeared, zooming to the spot were he was. He could have made for the chase, but he felt no need to do so. Inhaling deeply, feeling the soft smell of lilac, oranges and burned wood ease away his anxiety. The pure aura of the small girl, inching closer to his own, touching his in a way that made him ease up, calming his nerves, drew his attention back to the group. If he wouldn't have been a powerful youkai, he could have at least seen the anger shining in the eyes of the group he hadn't paid attention to. But, being who he was, a dog demon at that, he not only saw but smelled and heard the growls, the hisses and the murderous intent the others had towards the quivering pair.

"Sesshomaru, my son! Were in the worlds have you been?" the booming voice of his father extinguished the growl that had slowly built in his chest.

Turning his head only slightly towards the looming form of his father, that, as he now realized, wasn't at all mad at his disappearance, he swiftly inclined towards the two that had drawn his attention like that. Maybe it was the small girl's continuous cry for help that had drawn him here, or the boy's fighting spirit when faced with the thread that the group of youkai represented, or maybe they both were something that he hadn't seen in a long time. Either way, he had watched them play in silence for about half an hour, his eyes fixed on their ivory skin, only a tone darker than his own, wondering if hanyo children had skin as soft as youkai had or if they were different.

'_Should this Sesshomaru blame his sire for this sudden curiosity? ' _ he wondered, amused by the thought.

"I see..." the humming voice of the taller youkai male made him tore his gaze away from the frightened children back to the owner of the most powerful aura he had ever felt.

"Well, if you are so interested in them, why not take them as your personal servants, seeing that Jaken is a bit too... zealous?" Inu no Taisho inquired, watching his oldest son change colors, but pondering over the thought.

He had always wanted something that could make the cold hearted youkai his pup had become change, even if it was only for a short while. He wanted to see his pup playing again, though he knew that was impossible, or at least smile and act more... human, if he dared to say so. Huffing, seeing that Sesshomaru still needed time to think it over, he lowered himself to one knee and extended one perfectly clawed hand in the direction of the two hanyo children, curious himself. After the two pups looked at each other, probably asking if this was ok, they slowly got up and walked hand in hand towards the almighty General.

'_Interesting... they both have miko blood in them, something that I haven't seen in hundreds of years.. No wonder my son was so interested in them! This is quite a pair we have here!' _ he mused, sniffing the air around the two, now curious themselves, children.

"Don't be afraid, little ones! I will not hurt you." He tried to coax them out of their fright.

When both of their tiny hands were in the palm of his, a big smile brightened the atmosphere, coming from both the pups and the big inu. His aura, though over powering theirs, thus making them submit under it, wrapped them in a blanked of warmth and trust. They, in the years they had spend moving from one village to the other, chased away by humans and demons alike, had never felt anything like that fuzzy, warm feeling the tai was engulfing them in. It was pleasant and almost foreign to them, the two twins that had spend their lives in fear, hatred and distrust, their own parents abandoning them into the wild to fend for themselves. Big eyes filled with tears bore into his golden one's, searching for something that could prove them that this was no dream and that they were not going to be abandoned yet again.

"What are your names, pups?" his voice made their little hearts beat faster, the smooth velvety baritone not much different from his son's.

"Kagome Higurashi, my Lord. And this is my brother, Miroku... " the almost whispered response made the big inu break into giggles.

They were cute, innocent and made him want to just hug them till they felt confident enough that they would just stop that useless shaking of their bodies, thus proving to him that the look in their eyes was as true as he thought it was.

"Miroku and Kagome, huh..." he said their names, liking the way they rolled on his tongue.

Looking back to his son as he got up, motioning to the two small pups to get closer to him and his son, Shinosamu Taisho, Alpha of his family, waited for his son to make his pick. He could have both of the pups, but he knew that one was enough to make his pup mature in both thoughts and spirit. More or less, that is.

"Then...?" he asked, impatience marooning his smell, his son looking from one child to the other, his gaze as blank as ever.

"You..." his soft murmur made the crowd, he hadn't seen or felt before, grumble a response, as if he had made the wrong choice.

Extending a deadly hand towards his pick, Sesshomaru thought about the future in which he will have to educate the small pup to fit in the aristocratic world he was now part of. He had to take care of that pup, something he had yet to learn. Grumbling something about stupid fathers, Sesshomaru waited for the smallest hand he had ever held grab his in a tight hold. Blue eyes pierced molted gold as honey orbs drowned into azure seas. A sense of gratitude filled up his heart, all of that coming from the blushing little female he now held by the hand.

"Now, my son, we should hurry up and see off the princess and her father... Or at least talk to them till they get bored enough and leave. Cats were never my thing, though they insist on coming here to see if I can make you mate the oldest of the princesses." The long sigh coming from his sire made the young lord smirk, as he hoisted the small body up, hugging her to his chest.

A light squeal met his ears as he jumped to the skies. Though foreign to him, the weight in his arms was pleasant and felt good. Inhaling once more, his lungs filled with her delicious smell, Sesshomaru Taisho, future Lord of the West looked straight ahead, his mind wondering to places unknown, making lists with what he will do with the small bundle that hugged him so intimately. A dog demon she might have been, but the petite girl was surely not used with this kind of treatment.

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Flying was the last thing on her list to do in the future, starting now. Gulping the yells she felt swelling up in her body, Kagome closed her eyes so tight that stars started to sparkle behind them. How come this gorgeous demon lord had picked her? She wasn't special and she surely didn't have what it took to be in his presence and yet here she was, hands hugging his neck, her body pressed so close to his that none could even dream of putting something in between. Though she wanted to watch him more, her heart was beating so fast in her little chest that she felt she could explode any minute now. She could smell his annoyance at her fear, her brother, on the other hand, having the time of his life on the back of the other big taiyoukai, but she couldn't stop herself from trembling and hiding her face in his broad chest.

'_Atatakai...'_ her mind whispered as she drew in a shaky breath, the hand holding her tightening it's grasp minutely.

"Open your eyes." The commanding tone rumbled through her body, his chest shaking with his words.

Shuffling closer to him, not letting go of her hold on his silky robes, though she knew that this wasn't normal or accepted, she disobeyed him, shaking her head slightly, her forehead pressed securely on his haori. A deep growl met her ears as she felt the arm that held her close disappear from under her. Yelling, her small legs encircling the body of her new guardian, Kagome dug her small claws in the back of his neck, her fright reaching up new levels. She was, usually, a very courageous girl, not fearing anything, her mind set on protecting both her brother and herself, but right now, she was so terrified of dying that she couldn't think of anything else.

'_Miroku, you're so lucky...'_ her mind screamed, the connection between herself and her brother bringing her words to her giggling brother.

'_It's not my fault, Kagome-ne, that you don't want to do what your sire tells you to do!' _Miroku answered her call, amused by the sight of his small sister clinging desperately on the obviously annoyed dai, while they still flew to the beautiful castle he saw emerging from the rays of the setting sun.

"So beautiful, Kagome-ne!" his voiced out, his eyes glued on the immense shiro.

"Beautiful, indeed, pup! And you and your kin will live there under my and my son's protection! Now, will you pledge your devotion to this one?" the soft, yet domineering rumble of the Dog General made both of the children flinch, just as Sesshomaru took hold again of the bothersome and stubborn hanyo girl.

"Yes!" the answers came swiftly after, one breathless and one overenthusiastic.

A laugh was their response as they neared their destination. It was going to be fun with these children in the shiro. Though Shinosamu knew that they will not be very fortunate even there, he knew that their chances of survival had passed all expectations.

'_These pups have a future...'_ the old dog mused, eying his son that now struggled to free himself from the tight hold of the girl, though a small smile was tugging at his lips.

Smirking a little devious smile, the Alpha dog howled his return, the grumbling noises of his pup amusing him even further. The little vixen he had chosen was definitely a hands full and he marveled at his own pup's display of both affection, though it was a very cold, humorless type of affection, and patience. Will the little girl crack that icy mask his son had encased himself in or will she become yet another servant of the palace? He didn't want to think about that, but, if his years of practice knowing people had any value at all, then the warmness and loving feeling he felt in her nature were the top things that ensured her a top spot in his pup's heart. He just hoped he wasn't wrong. He didn't want his pup to end up with someone that didn't deserve him.

As his feet touched the green soil of his interior garden, the little bundle that struggled in his arms finally managed to free herself, the seven year old glaring from her newly found balance on the ground with a force that send chills down his spine.

'_Wrong. This one does not feel such a thing.'_ His mind concluded, giving the girl a glare of his own, his eyes turning into slits as did hers.

Tension rose between the pair, small growls reverberating in the closed space between them, sparks flying as they sneered at one another. Sesshomaru was about to open his mouth and growl deeply at the girl to silence her for good when his father slapped him across the head, his body moving forward because of the sudden impact. Regaining his footing, the young male turned around to snap at his father, fangs glistering between parted lips.

"Now, now, Sesshomaru! Behave!" his father warned him, the piercing golden eyes, much like his own, boring into his.

Snarling at the older male, the silver head dai turned around and walked to his room, not bothering to see if the small hanyo girl was walking after him or not. He was mad, against his better judgment, on the miko because she dared to challenge him. And his father had wounded his pride with that display. He nearly ripped Jaken to pieces when the toad appeared before him, groveling on the wooden surfaces.

Meanwhile, back in the garden, Kagome was seriously pissed off. Sure, he was her protector and now her lord, thus she had to obey, not to mention the difference in power between them, but nothing gave him the right to scare her to death and then demand her submission. She had not liven up until now, fight for her life and her freedom, to end up in the hands of some spoiled prince. And, although he was beyond handsome, the perfect embodiment of masculinity, with his silver mane floating till the middle of his back, his aristocratic features, enlightened by his markings of full pedigree, though still having that roundness of a teenager, tall, lean and powerful, his muscles straining under his perfectly ivory skin, this new lord of hers had serious personality issues. Huffing, turning her head with a snap away from his retreating back, Kagome waited to calm down. He wasn't a bad guy, she knew that, but he could be at least a bit more understanding. She wasn't used with being in his presence or flying or anything that had happened till that moment. When she had woken up that morning the first thing she had done was fight for her life with some seriously mean men that wanted to kill her and her brother. She wasn't quite ready yet to leave all she had learned behind. Sure, she was seven, but what she knew and what she had been through was something that no other child, human or youkai, had been through. She knew more about the world outside these walls than most of the princely like children out there.

"You must go after him, my daughter! He may seem unreasonable and mean, not to mention cold and uncaring, but you felt it too, haven't you?" the murmur of her Alpha made her turn her head back to the kneeling man before her, his hand extended once again towards her.

Puffing her cheeks, a blush creasing her beautiful features, she took one look at her brother that stood proud next to the tall youkai and then nodded, her small hand disappearing in the hold of her lord. He was right! She had felt it before, in the way he had looked at her and her brother, in the way he had called for her, in the way he had held her. He wasn't so bare of emotions, just that... he was hiding them really well.

'_I wonder how good he was at hide-and-seek? Must have been really good!'_ her childish mind tried to come up with some analogy as she dusted herself and rushed after the young male.

Her pita-patter on the cherry wood echoed in her ears as she rushed to where he was. Her nose had picked his sent up before her mind registered where she was going and now, huffing, her chest constricting, she chased after him, feeling his presence disappear faster and faster every time she managed to gain up on him.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Wait up!" she cried out in frustration, her voice coming out in rushed puffs, barely above a whisper.

But he didn't, just as she suspected. No matter how mannered he was, this young inu was still as selfish and obstinate as the rest of the well-behaved kids she had the misfortune to meet in the seven years she had wondered Nippon. It wasn't the first time when she had to deal with such an ass of a prince. She had had fights with such kids before when they had tried to mock her and Miroku, when they had tried to steal away their freedom. She hated such kids, but this one was no seven year old boy but a fully grown adult, an almost seventeen year old dog. He had liven on this planet much more than she had so why was he acting like this? She was no toy and surely wasn't his slave so he had no reason to get mad at her for being what she was. The outside world was harsher than what he had lived with here. He could never understand her!

"Baka inu.." she murmured, rubbing her rapidly reddening eyes as she tried to stand up from the crouching position she had taken.

Falling on her face and crying weren't her style, but right now, after she had believed in the kind offer **his **father had made, being forced by his arrogance to rethink this over, was definitely something she dreaded with all her heart. So what if he had a full heritage, thus being outstanding in everything. So what if he had power and money? She, even if her thoughts didn't matter, didn't see him as her lord more as her future friend. She wanted to befriend him. She wanted to feel that she could count on someone other than herself and her brother. Plus, Miro-chan was already with that tall male, which, if she truly stopped and thought about it, she didn't even know his name.

"Great!" she sniffed, " I'm in a castle of someone I don't even know... And to think I was so enchanted by his smile and by the promise in his eyes! Where is my master now?" she grumbled, sobbing yet again, banging her little head on the floor.

"Right behind you." The purr of a familiar voice made her spun around, blue eyes meeting vibrant gold.

Opening her mouth to retaliate something about him disappearing on her or something like this, Kagome read his aura and stopped, the words never leaving her lips. He was still angry, though not at her, if she was feeling his youki right. He was mad but had calmed somewhat, his glare, though, still in place. Lowering her gaze to the floor, unable to say or do anything else, she waited for him to move.

Seeing her like that, on the brown floor, with the last rays of the setting sun bathing her locks and her face with it's gleeful smile, he really realized that he had just saved this girl from a fate worse than death. Though he wasn't a merciful lord by nature, he was still a pack dog and felt it in himself that he had to make this girl a part of his future family. He was sure that she had her own issues, much like himself, but with a little practice and training and talking, she would make the perfect servant. She was smart enough not to provoke him a second time, though hanyo were known to either fear or to despise the full breed demons, this little one did none of the above. She liked him in a sense.

Huffing, stepping closer to her, Sesshomaru grabbed her by the arms, hoisting her up and holding her to his chest once again. He had to clean her first and the talk about this new arrangement with both his sire and his mother. But most importantly, he had to make the pestering woman that was fallowing him around the shiro, calling his name with no honorific at all, vanish.

"Is that girl after my lord?" the little bundle of flesh muffled her question through the silks she was now holding tightly to her chest, her cheeks reddening as he looked at her, a perfectly sculptured brow lifting.

"Hn" was her only response, the frown marooning her pretty face making him open his mouth to answer her question more fully, something that had never happen in years.

"She is a possible candidate for this Sesshomaru to mate." He concluded, eyes, once again, fixed on the road ahead, not bothering with his quickly bowing servants that passed him and the girl.

"Then, do you like her?" the inquisitive little hanyo pestered him on, her speech no longer just a whisper but more bold, a fire lighting her eyes and face.

"No. This one never liked cats." He responded, suppressing a laugh at her pleased aura.

Seeing that the half miko didn't have anything more to say to him, the tai entered his personal bathing house, closing the door behind him, growling in the heavy tongue of the demon kind not to be disturbed by anyone. Letting the girl down, he motioned for her to go clean herself up as he walked, poised, to the far end of the room to get her some kind of garments to wear in stead of the ugly kimono she had on her. She was going to represent him from this day forward. He couldn't have his personal 'assistant' be poorly dressed.

A giggle met his ears as the water splashed, her smell filled with joy and amazement. Finding a decent robe amongst his possessions, though he didn't know how it got there, thus suspecting his father, Sesshomaru turned around only to see a small head bobbing in and out of the water, agitating the calm pool, a muffled cry reaching him with every push her body made to take air, bubbles surfacing.

Rushing to save her, forgetting that he was fully dressed, the silver head teen pulled out of the water a coughing, shaking little girl that, as always, clung to him, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You should have told this one that you do not know how to swim." His voice composed, though the feeling of water soaking his garments made him shiver as she held him close.

"I..I know ho-how to swim!" she stated, looking at him with big, honest eyes, though not letting him go.

"Then?" he inquired, slowly getting out of the chest high water.

"I just... sunk. It felt so warm that I almost fell asleep." She whispered, hiding her face due to embarrassment yet again in his chest.

Suppressing a sigh, the young lord made her sit down on a high pedestal-like spot in the pool. The water barely covered her growing bosom as she blushed at her nudity for the first time. Getting out and untangling his obi with precise movements, he soon disrobed of all of his clothing, letting them fall mush on the ground. The sudden change in the small girl's smell and the sound of her heart beat increasing, made him turn around from the spot he had taken as his own in the far end of the room, near the closed doors of his own bed-chambers. If he hadn't put her in that spot just minutes ago, he would have swore that she had changed colors: from the refreshing hue of the imperial lily to the shocking shade of a tomato, all in one go. Wondering what had made her change so abruptly, he started walking towards her, just to check up on his ward.

A yelp met his ears and he stopped, mere inches away from her crouching form, her face hidden by her hands, her body shaking. Frowning, Sesshomaru entered the calming waters. Prying her hands away from her face, he looked straight into the huge orbs, unable to read much besides embarrassment in them.

"What is the matter, little one?" his baritone rang in the room sending chills running up and down her spine.

"You... you are naked! Pervert!" the squeal made him cringe in pain, the small female hiding her face further in her lap, ignoring the suffocating feeling the water gave her.

So that was her problem. Looking down at himself, he observed the way the calming surface encircled his waist line, effectively hiding his lower region from the outside world.

"So?" he asked, unable to believe that she could be so prude at such an young age.

Angry at his insensitivity, Kagome jumped up from her place, but failing to look so intimidating due to a slip of her foot. She tumbled into the water with a splash and, if it wasn't for the quick movement of her sire, she would have struggled to free herself once more from the treacherous depths.

Holding her above the water but not too high just so she would not feel so embarrassed, Sesshomaru watched her as she coughed, a blush adorning her cheeks. She was so interesting, this little hanyo, with all her outspoken nature. Humming to himself he placed her back on the previous spot and moved to the center of the in door pool to swim a little. He loved to stay there and just forget about things and, as time passed, he heard the muffled curses of the raven haired as she paddled towards him. She wasn't the most beautiful swimmer he had ever so, but she managed to float above water, so it was Ok. For the time being. He decided to teach her how to swim before the moon did it's full cycle in two weeks time.

Unknown to her, though she was very conscious when she approached the beautiful male, Kagome thought that all her worries would soon vanish, more or less. Little did she know what was in stored for her. Not only was she going to go through maddening training with her lord, but she will have to assist him in every outdoor travel he will have to make.

A slight knock on the shoji door brought both of them out of their thoughts, drawing their full attention to the sliding door.

"My lord, your parents away you for..." the annoying voice of a toad like creature died in mid-sentence as it's bulged eyes fixed themselves on the moving figure in the water.

Just as the ugly creature was about to yell something to the offensive young lady in the water, seeing that she had her tiny palms on his master's chest, their bodies too close for his comfort, Sesshomaru gently pushed the girl away, a hand on her belly under the water, guiding her to the end of the pool so they could get out. He had washed himself and the pup and was now ready for whatever might come his way. And by the smell lingering in the air, a problem in the shape and sizes of a female cat was in stored for him.

"It will be alright, my lord!" the girl beamed at him all of a sudden as she got dressed, her attention being focused only on him, Jaken being forgotten in a corner where he grunted in pain after being kicked mercilessly by his lord.

Inhaling her spicy, calming aura, Sesshomaru made a small gesture towards her, knowing that she will fallow.

'_Strange how this one got attached to this Kagome-pup so fast. This one wonders if the kamis aren't playing some kind of trick... ' _ his mind tried to find an answer to this sudden trust and somewhat infatuation on the small child.

It felt like she had been with him forever and, although it wasn't normal for a demon such as himself to take a liking in a hanyo as her all of a sudden it wasn't unheard of. He was young and he needed some kind of distraction from the daily pains, though he couldn't quite put her in that department yet. He just felt right having her there. He had felt that attraction the moment he had seen her. When their eyes had met he had felt a connection with her on a primal level, something that he couldn't explain, let alone ignore like he had intended.

Closing one eye as he entered the main room of the shiro, where the guests laughed, obviously drunk from all the sake that they had drank till that moment, Sesshomaru patted the small head that was looking nervously ahead. He could sense the other twin amongst the demons inside and he knew that she could too but she was worrying over meeting all those creatures that had, probably, persecuted her one way or another. She was young and, at the same time, old, a combination that made him think his own behavior all over again. Smiling, something he had never done so openly before, he pushed her forward, looking sternly at the turning heads.

"Sesshomaru!" the loud yell of the cat princess made him cringe, his defenses up and roaring as she got up from her spot and started walking towards him.

A low growl broke the silence that fell on the group the moment he had entered the room. Startled, as were the rest of those that were in the room, except the inu pup that just giggled in the background, the tall dog looked down to the small head that shook under the frustration that coursed through her body. Another growl passed her full lips when the demoness took another step forward to get closer to her lord. Suppressing the laughter that bubbled in his body, he extended his hand towards his protégé, petting it slightly. But, to his surprise, Kagome took one step forward, blocking the cat's path to her sire. She knew that the female in front of her was much more stronger and way more beautiful than she was at her young age, not to mention that she was now only one of the many servants her lord had, but she couldn't stand the disrespect the neko was showing towards her lord. Who cared that she had those amazing curves all around, that her orange hair was flawlessly pinned on top of her heart-shaped head, that her black eyes shone with want and that her never ending smile made her features even more striking? All she wanted, to prove to her lord that she was good at something, like she had tried so many times in the past to do to stay in one place, under protection, was to make the feline understand that she had to show much more respect to the first-born of the Inu no Taisho household. These were her instincts and, as far as she was concerned, she was acting accordingly with whatever standards existed at the royal court.

"That is enough, little one." His smooth baritone made her jerk in her place, thus turning her head towards her protector, who, if she was reading his facial expression correctly and she wasn't entirely sure of what she was seeing, he seemed very please with her.

Backing away from the defensive position she had taken, bowing in his direction, Kagome looked to the dumb-struck cat through half lidded eyes.

'_Good job, nee-chan!' _ Miroku chipped in her head, making her pride swell in her chest as she thought about her future with her lord.

She had to get stronger, faster and smarter in order to protect him, though she knew pretty well, by how his youki swayed along her nerves, that he didn't need protection. But she still wanted, out of some foolish and maybe even dangerously stupid whim, to become his number one servant. It was something out of the blue and totally uncalled for right now, her new place in this large shiro still eluding her and making her feel uneasy, but it was something that called for her.

'_Maybe the kamis want this?' _she wondered, watching her lord walk in front of her to sit next to his father, taking the spot on his left.

When she noticed that he pat the spot next to him, somewhat in too forward if she was going to analyze her brother's position, she rushed to sit there. She had had minimum of training in this type of behavior, thus she knew what was good and what was not. Blushing when she heard his voice rumble next to her, Kagome closed her eyes and listened.

**-x-x-x-**

**-x-x-x-**

"Kagome! Kagome, you useless child, were are you?" her sensei called, the loud screech making her sensitive ears bleed.

Ducking her head low, hiding both her body and her aura, Kagome waited for the old miko to pass before her, her cerulean eyes watching the woman up close.

'_Useless, my ass, you old hag! It's not my fault you tried to zap me into oblivion and I just happened to use both my youki and my reiki to stop you..' _the young trainee spat in her mind, as she remembered the way the old lady flew across the room, landing, though with a loud thud, on the futons that were neatly stashed away.

Raising her head above the dark leafs of the bush she had taken rest into, the raven haired beauty, now twenty years old, sniffed the air. She had gone training after training to become what she had wanted the most in the world, her love for her lord blossoming year after year, but every time something was wrong with her, if she had to listen to all the hags and old bastards that had trained her. She was either too distracted or unfocused, or too rebellious or whatever bad thing a person could be. She had never been praised for something and, right now, she had had enough of all that baloney the old priestess was yelling at her. How come the woman was so lenient and so sweet when Sesshomaru was around and so bitchy when he was not?

'_It's not my fault that every time I want to do good he appears and I have to hide my smell with all my might? Do they even wonder? Noooo! All they do is criticize me and make me look bad in front of... Shit!' _her mind stopped it's rampage as her nose detected the last man she wanted to see.

Gulping, looking from the quite large building she had to do her practice in to the road that took to her shiro, Kagome turned around and ran as fast as her legs could carry her into the nearby forest that her lord kept so well. He was bound to find her sooner or later but she hoped that it would be later, thus ending her useless training. She had become stronger than she had dreamed, though not nearly enough as she wanted, and he still made her go through this every year. Wondering what he wanted to do with her, Kagome jumped from tree to tree, masking her presence and rushing through the canopy with speed and finesse. Huffing, the air coming out of her lungs in quick puffs, the hanyo girl jumped up, twisting in the air and then landed with a soundless thud on the green, lush grass. Sniffing again, extending her aura carefully, she frowned when she didn't discover her lord anywhere close. She was sure she had sensed him not too long ago, right behind her.

Sighing, Kagome sat down in the large clearing, glaring at the sun set. It had been on a day like this, one hundred years ago, when she had first met her lord and thus became his servant. One hundred years in which she had watched her protector become the finest man and demon she had ever seen him. One hundred years, time in which Sesshomaru's heart had encased itself in a shield of ice so thick that nothing could penetrate it. She had watched him take over the reigns of his family, ruling with a iron fist over the lands, taking over more land, thus becoming the most feared cardinal lord out of all. Lowering her gaze as she found it difficult to watch the sky any more, her eyes swimming in tears, the girl wondered what she had done wrong in the time she had spend with him to make him act so cold towards her. She wondered, still, how her brother was doing, send off to a different part of Japan with the Dog General himself, on some weird mission. How come he had been so happy when he had left her there to fend for herself in front of the jealousy her fellow co-workers shot at her. Right now, she was far from happy, unable to see her lord more that a few minutes at a time, merely one day a week. She was beyond lonely.

'_And to think I fell in love with this Ice-Lord... Though I know there is still a warm side to him, I can still see it and feel it in his eyes! So why... why has he...'_ but her thoughts were once again interrupted by the sudden push of his youki over her, her body lowering to the ground, her chest flat on the sweet-smelling grass.

Barely taking a deep breath as she tried to push up from her strange position, she felt his aura shift as he entered the clearing, a growl reaching her pointed ears. Gulping, her throat suddenly dry, Kagome managed to kneel in front of the silver headed youkai, her eyes closed and her aura surrendering to his.

She expected him to growl at her in the old demon tongue she had learned years ago, to feel his aura surge to life and make her jump to her feet and then rush to the dojo again. Instead, what he did next made her eyes open wide, her mouth hanging agape. Dressed in his formal kimono, the white haori with cherry blossom imprint on it's sleeves and shoulders, the stoic inu sat down next to her, resting his body on his hands, his face turned upwards, letting the last rays of sun shine on his face. Gapping in his direction, staring at him fully, Kagome let her sent rise without meaning to.

'_He's so... beautiful...' _ her thoughts, though innocent, surfaced.

Her eyes traced the bold markings on his face, lingering on his long eyelashes that hid his golden orbs, and then moved south, where they rested on his full, pinkish lips. Swiping her tongue to moist her own lips, the young girl almost missed his words, the pleasant rumble evoking memories she thought were long forgotten.

"Why are you running away, Kagome?" he asked, turning his head only slightly towards the blushing hanyo.

He received no answer but her smell told him more than words could have ever delivered. She was troubled about something and hid something from him. Though he didn't know what it was or why she was behaving this way, he felt strangely angered by this new discovery. She was very honest when she was with him, helping him with problems no other could, resolving different issues with ease, so why was she hiding something now? What was so important to her than he wasn't allowed to know?

"What troubles you?" he softened his tone, turning his head towards the sky.

"You, my lord..." her honest reply made his eyes widen minutely.

Opening his mouth to ask what she meant by that, Sesshomaru closed it upon seeing her troubled, lonely expression. He could guess what it was: his sudden decision of taking a mate out of the southern clan, the one with dragons. He had made the decision of taking one of the princesses to live here, thus inspecting her before deciding if she was going to be fit for the position of being his.

"You must not worry about matters that do not concern you, Kagome. This one knows what must and must not be done." He ended the discussion, getting up slowly.

Hearing her shuffle, but not fallowing him, he turned once again to look at her. Raven locks blocked the view of her pretty face, hiding her brownish lips, her small nose, her markings and most of all, her beautiful blue eyes. He could guess her long, black lashes moving up and down as she blinked, the salty smell of tears reaching his nose. What was wrong now? Why was she crying?

Taking a step towards her, Sesshomaru stopped short as she got up, rubbing her eyes and then smiling back at him. She was going to hold unto these feelings, never letting him see them. She didn't want to part from him.

'_You sure learned how to lie, Kagome-nee!' _ the sudden ring of Miroku's voice made her jump as she turned only to be engulfed into her lecherous younger brother's arms.

"Long time no see, my lord!" he beamed at the obviously bored youkai, his stoic mask back in place.

"Miroku, what... when.. how..." millions of questions surfaced, as she tried to pry her brother off of her.

Smirking at her, Miroku just shrugged, turning around to let his sire walk into the dim light of the clearing, the shadows of the forest still tugging at his form. A light footstep met their ears as Sesshomaru huffed, turning and walking slowly away. He didn't want to see his father right now, much less when his intended was so near. Disappearing into the forest just as his father emerged, the young tai missed his most trusted servant's sigh.

"Is he always like that, my child?" the pleased rumble of the older youkai made the flustered miko jump in her place as she scurried to bow to her lord.

"Yes, sire. I think it's worse as time passes... Though I do not know the cause." She ended her speech, her voice cracking at the end.

"You must have it rough then, Kagome. I can not imagine my own pup behaving like this all the time and not change a bit." The smooth baritone pierced the silence, as the tall silver-headed youkai hugged the young female to his chest, burring his nose in her long tresses.

Chuckling at her lord's antiques, the raven haired hanyo stepped away, politely, and motioned to her protector to fallow her as she updated him on the latest news, from the personal stuff he needed to know to the strategic ones she had, just recently, found out. It was nice to forget about the more pressing matters like Sesshomaru-sama mating a female dragon she had never seen, or that she will be kicked out of the shiro if said youkai girl would find out about her feelings. Either way, her future wasn't bright and, although she had wished that Shinosamu-sama would do something about this, she had lost all hope when the feeling of the approaching demon crossed her senses, making her spine tingle but not in the pleasurable way.

Suppressing a growl that could alert those around that she was against this all, Kagome stopped right at the end of the forest, her claws digging into a nearby tree, her eyes fixed on the gate that opened slowly somewhere in front of her. Although her vision wasn't as great as her lord's, she could still see the way the light shone off the metal hinges. It annoyed her! How come Sesshomaru decided all of a sudden to mate some foreign girl with only strategy in mind. Because she knew that he didn't love anyone, his heart to frozen to allow any feelings to leak out.

'_And to think I love this... this... man! I don't understand him anymore!' _ her mind growled, furious.

'_But you wish you could... You can't fool me, nee-chan! You know that, if you try a little harder, you could reach him. You always could! You are the only one that can and will ever reach him...'_ Miroku's voice dragged her out of her darker thoughts as she turned her head upwards to face her brother.

Violet met blue and they started a dance only twins could understands, speaking of things only they knew about. Though Kagome frowned, hiding her blush away from Miroku's searching gaze, she could still feel him smirk as he took a step forward, fallowing Shinosamu up close.

Now what was she supposed to do? Stay there for the next two weeks, time in which Sesshomaru could decide in favor for the mysterious woman or face her and unmask her for what she was worth. What her gut told her? She had to make Sesshomaru feel that putrid aura the dragon had masked so well and shoo her away.

'_Sure, I know I can never be a part of this court with him by my side as my mate, but at least, I can protect both him and the lands he had under his protection by carefully selecting the right candidate. And this bitch surely isn't one!'_ her inner voice screamed it's resolute as she jumped to catch up with the male pair.

As her eyes focused more on the arriving caravans, the foul youki that reached her nose made her cringe, a roar bubbling up in her chest. This girl was really going to hide her true self like that? She was going to lie to her lord like that? Unacceptable! Sniffing out her sire, Kagome rushed to the spot destined to be hers. The moment the demons were in her sight the aura changed drastically, a sickening-sweet odor invading their noses, the disgust and arrogance hidden with care.

Baring her teeth only slightly, the dark haired hanyo crossed her arms over her chest, eying the dragon that walked so casually towards her lord through half lidded eyes. She would have stepped in front of her lord like she had that one time in the past, but she knew better than to do that. This one had an army with her and she wasn't so easily put down by mere growls. Plus, she was way too knowledgeable in these type of things now to do that again. Sesshomaru might even get angry at her if she did so and the last thing on her agenda was to see him mad.

A beautiful, green haired woman approached them, smile in check, pink eyes moving sensually over the cardinal lord, disregarding all others. Snarling in her direction with her brother's giggling in her ears, though he didn't open his mouth, Kagome turned her head to look past the alluring demoness towards the rest of her followers. Disgruntled noises, low growls and other such noises reached her ears, wonder marooning her features. Why were they so reluctant to do what they were assigned to do?

'_Mystery!' _ her mind huffed, as another set of roaring laughter invaded her mind through the connection she shared with Miroku.

'_Why are you laughing, you...you...uf!' _ she all but roared at her brother, turning only slightly to look at him past her shoulder as she walked towards the caravans.

'_Because, one: you are right! This girl isn't bringing good news, though her curves can not be ignored! And two: because you are funny with your childish play of house.'_ He laughed back at her, only a small twitch of his full lips showing his inner amusement.

Glaring at him, seeing that he was once again eying the full bosom of the dragoness, Kagome abandoned the discussion and proceeded to finish her job. She had the all important job of making the princess feel like home. Oh, the joy!

"Can I help you unpack?" she asked the first male dragon that appeared before her, his black eyes surveying her tiny body, huffing at what he saw.

"You can but I doubt we will stay for long enough." He answered, quizzically, making Kagome curious.

"What do you mean?" she asked, almost running after the taller male, his broad back turned from her, his strong arms carrying a huge crate.

"You will find quite soon..." he huffed, motioning with his head towards the two young boys that fallowed the princess, boys who went unnoticed till that moment. "That girl is going to get her ass kicked one of these days! Now, pup, you better go do your job or risk being fired by your lord." The smirking demon looked down to her, his dark orbs fixing themselves in her.

So she had been right! This demon was not worth her lord's trust! Bowing to the man she had been talking till that moment, Kagome all but ran towards her disappearing lord, her mind set on unmasking the sly woman that wanted to get mated to him only for the power his position brought. Glaring at the woman's back for a long time as they walked back to the shiro in silence, the brunette opened her mouth to say something, although she didn't knew what she was going to say. But before the words left her mouth, the demoness spoke first, her pink eyes swiping over Sesshomaru's features as if wanting to caress them.

"I thank my lord for bringing me here. It's... a pleasure to be asked of such a thing!" her skillful tongue intoned.

'_You lying con-artist! You... you... I am not going to let my lord be with such a woman!' _cursed the younger woman as she watched the dragoness get closer to her seemingly unemotional sire.

To be frank, she didn't know what she didn't like at the woman, but she knew that something was way off with her, just like when she had first laid eyes on that cat youkai so many years ago. She just felt the malice coming off of her in waives. She felt like the woman in question was going to betray Sesshomaru in more than one way and she didn't like the idea. She was way too young then to understand. But, right now, with the same feeling coursing her veins, she felt like she had to do something or risk another war, or something along those lines.

Walking behind the two, Kagome had all the time in the world to form a plan and it started with the two boys the dragoness had brought with her. Something in their smell made her anxious, like they were some kind of substitute for something, like they were hiding a secret, a deep, vile secret. She felt like they were going to unmask the woman for good.

'_I wonder if her father knows what she is doing in her spare time...'_ Kagome thought for herself, not expecting an answer but receiving one non the less.

'_Mn-no. Because I don't think his highness, lord Ryukotsusei, would ever let her come here, Kago-nee!' _ Miroku interrupted all her other thoughts.

Shrugging it away, the raven haired female decided to be as placid as one could be and learn everything she could about this princess before she would unmask her for what she really was. She couldn't just accuse her of wanting just the money and nothing else, or worse, wanted the powerful dai dead, without any proof. Sesshomaru would never look at her again. She couldn't risk!

Sighing, Kagome walked behind the green haired beauty, listening to her endless chit-chatter, laughing, though without any humor, at her jokes. It didn't take them long to reach the shiro, her lord dismissing her to cater to the newcomer's wishes. Grinding her teeth together, hiding her smell, Kagome did what she was told, instructing the personnel on what to do, as she showed the princess the surroundings.

"Uf, this is boring..." the royal pain in the butt sighed at one point, stopping before her room, her nose up in the air as she looked at the smaller female that just bowed to her.

"You may leave me now. I don't need you anymore!" she continued, dismissing Kagome with a swift movement of her slender wrist as she closed the shoji door to her room.

Bowing to the woman, Kagome bit back all the curses and angry remarks at her attitude.

'_She was the one that wanted to walk these corridors and look around! I didn't suggest it!' _ spat Kagome, still seeing the disgusted look in the princess's eyes.

Turning on her heels to walk away, Kagome almost missed the stifled moan that came from the door. Sniffing the air but picking up nothing, the young hanyo continued on, imagining the long days that would come.

And, to prove her right, the days that fallowed were filled with more royal headaches. The girl was so innocent and well-mannered when her lord was involved and demanded so many things when he wasn't that no one knew how to please her. And to top it off, princess Naya, as she was named, spoke badly behind everyone's backs, telling Sesshomaru how unprofessional, how untrained his servants were. And Kagome was the first on the list every time, Naya's continuous rant beginning and ending with Kagome in her mouth.

'_At least she sees you as a threat, don't you think? Not like totally ignoring me!' _ Miroku tried to cheer his sister up, one day, after the second week of the princess's stay at the western shiro.

'_As if! Weren't you the one that received her attention the other day? Not to mention the fact that she spreads her pheromones all over the place! She wants to take over this castle!' _ sighed Kagome, plunging her heated face into the cool pond she had found when she was a kid, no far from her lord's chambers, hidden in the forest.

'_Maybe, but that doesn't prove anything. Sesshomaru-sama doesn't want to hear anything about this, proceeding with his plans further, even though you have already showed him that she was sleeping with the two demon boys she had brought with her!' _ an equally frustrated sigh escaped Miroku's lips as he watched his twin emerge from the clear water, the redness of her eyes receding.

Thinking back to the day she had told him about this **little ** problem, Kagome shivered involuntary. She had dragged him by the hand towards the chambers were the dragoness was indulging herself in sexual activity, to show him what he was up against. But his look had been so cold, so uncaring that, even now, after three days from the incident, Kagome still felt the chills run down her spine. She remembered the way his beautiful face had turned a shade darker, how his beautiful golden eyes turned to a placid color, something that expressed only disgust. She remembered the way his lips twitched then, his nose scrunching up. He had been angry at her, but why, she didn't knew.

Sighing, tears falling yet again from her eyes, Kagome thought back on her own behavior. She had been mean, ruthless, witty, a bitch towards the newcomer. She had tried to stomp over Naya with all her might and, although she managed to do just that, her lord was angrier than ever. Maybe, if she had acted differently ...

'_No... No matter how much I despise myself right now, I know that, given the chance again, I would react the same... If I didn't love him so...' _ she sobbed, covering her eyes, the tall figure of her brother kneeling next to her, warm arms cradling her figure.

She felt so miserable, so alone and unwanted. She wanted to see the lord that had taken her so long ago again. She wanted to see his smile without fearing that he was inclined more to decapitate her than to hug her. Crying her eyes out, Kagome clung to her brother's form, clawed hands digging in the black kimono he was wearing, tearing holes into it, as her own white kimono got dirtied on the hem from her continuous shaking of her body on the grassy ground.

"There, there, nee-chan. You are going to be alright. I have a plan, though it's not the most brilliant one yet. To tell you the truth, my lord, Shinosamu-sama, is the one that put me up to it, so if you want to beat someone up afterwards, you can go and put him in his grave. His words, not mine!" the soft purr of Miroku's voice made the sobbing recede as she pushed herself, gently away from her brother, who massaged his abused skin that was already healing.

"And, what has he thought about to make Sesshomaru-sama look at me again?" asked Kagome in a horsed voice, sniffing loudly.

"It's no that he has stopped looking at you, little one. He looks to much at you, if you were to ask me. But that is a story for another time. What we have to do now is to make him rethink his feelings once more!" the rumbling voice of the older male that had saved them when they were kids startled the two teens as they turned their full attention to his approaching form.

Kneeling in front of the distressed girl, Shinosamu, in all his glory, told her his plan, watching, with mild amusement, the way her face reddened. She wasn't agreeing with his plan but she did realize that it was the only way to reach his icy-hearted pup. Kamis be damned for the lack of self judgment of his pup. The boy knew nothing of her feelings, but knew too much about his own and about his status as lord of the West. Thus the decision. But he wasn't going to tell the hanyo miko all about this, was he.

"Y-you c-can't! You mustn't, my lord!" her terrified shriek made the silver head taiyoukai look at her with a raised brow, as she turned another shade of crimson.

"And why now, my child?" he asked, just to humor her.

"Be-because! You can not expect me to... to... we just can't!" she hid her face in her palms, the images in her head making her think that she had officially gone mad.

"Do you love my pup?" Shinosamu growled getting up, towering over the two twins, his golden eyes fixed straight into the blue pools.

He understood the implications, but he loved the thrill it brought with it. She was scared, he understood that too, but he wanted to see if his suspicions were true or not. If they were true, then everything was going to fall into place. If not, then he will have to beat the crap out of his son for being such a fool.

Lowing her gaze, thinking about her lord's propositions, unable to stop the blush from reaching her cheeks, Kagome nodded. She couldn't believe that she was going to do that to her love of her life and by the hands of his father non the less. Shaking, she got up with the help and reassurance of her brother.

Excusing herself, wobbling to the palace, clutching her right fist to her chest, her heart skipping beat after beat, Kagome almost missed the call from the obnoxious woman she now served from time to time. Till the plan will unfold and take form, she still had to wait for the party her lord held in one week from now. Oh, dread the day when she had fallen in love with Sesshomaru Taisho from the Inu clan, lord of the west in place of his wondering father.

**-x-x-x-**

**-x-x-x-**

Eying his son from across the room, his large form bend forward to not attract attention but failing miserably, Shinosamu smirked, winking at his trusted subordinate, Miroku, who just grinned a response, getting closer to the center of the party where the dragoness was glomping all over the quite unwilling lord. Watching, holding his breath, the silver head demon took a step away from the door, to inch closer to his son as the raven haired male took hold of the younger lord's glass of wine, pouring a bluish mixture in it. Giving the drink back to the one that had requested more, Miroku disappeared from his previous position, rushing out of the large ballroom to find the main participant in this plan.

Unaware of what was going on around him, the moon-kissed demon drank what was offered to him without a second thought. He couldn't be poisoned and nothing worked on him. But other was the problem that he wanted to get rid of: the damn girl that was invading his personal space with no consideration to her life. He had had enough of her continuous rant about his staff and was getting quite annoyed by her antiques. He hated women her type with their mushy-mushy attitude and their back-stabbing routine. He had known about it, more or less, but when his most trusted servant, the girl who had been on his mind for longer than he cared to admit, had come to him to show him that he was being played, he had been angry not at her but more on himself because he had made her take care of such a useless princess with no regard to her want what-so-ever. He had seen the mortification on the girl's face but could not stop the cold feeling that had taken over his soul. He wanted, so desperately wanted, to have someone to discuss his problems with and, although he knew he had Kagome, he couldn't just go to her and talk. His status didn't allow it. Sure, if something did happen between them, though he didn't think it would, then he could step all over the idiotic rules his ancestors had written. He could become free of some of the burdens he carried.

Suppressing a sigh, Sesshomaru looked from one face to the other, unable to remember the names of said faces. Frowning, his mouth twitching at his inability, suddenly feeling hot under the collar, the dog demon bared his teeth when the dragoness tried to kiss him again, a futile try if he was ever asked. Feeling her jerk away from his quite trembling form, Sesshomaru looked back at his glass, the last crystals of the blue drug dissolving.

'_That old... what did he give this one?' _ his mind searched through the potions he knew, without really coming up with a satisfied result.

Whatever it was, his father was behind this. This wasn't the first time the old dog had slipped something in his drink or his food and, by the mild sweet-sour taste he had in his mouth and the coiling in his lower region, he thought it was harmless to him in all aspects but one: his increasing libido. Assaulted by smells he didn't want to feel, trying to force his body under control, Sesshomaru growled as he got up on shaking legs. Spotting his father on the far end of the room, he decided, through his fogged up mind, to take care of the old dai after the effects of the drug will pass. Huffing, the air around him becoming stuffy, the silver head inu jumped from the table he had been sitting at, leaving the party he had organized in order to see other candidates of the post of being his mates. Barking an order to his guards to make all the guests go away, including the flirtatious princess that was trying to go after him, feigning concern but winking at another dragon baron that sat across from her.

Feeling like fainting all of a sudden, Sesshomaru dug his claws into the wall he had so comfortably leaned against. Breathing heavily, tugging at the collar of his summer kimono, the golden cloth gently leaving his skin to be touched by the chilly air of the corridor, the tall dai almost crumbled to the ground, his knees buckling under him. If it wasn't for the throbbing painful erection between his legs he could have sensed his father coming after him. But, right now, sustained by his father's strong grip, all he could do was growl menacingly, his blood-shot eyes glaring up at the unaffected male.

"Now, my pup, don't be so uncooperative! I only did this to teach you a lesson!" the more experienced male said, tugging at his son's form as he walked towards his son's room.

"W-what...?" the tai managed to breath out, his vision clouding, his words slurred.

"That you should never ignore what is in your heart! You want to be the perfect ruler, but doesn't mean you can push your problems away with this kind of solution." The great General spoke, gesturing with his free hand towards the long forgotten room. "You got what you deserved for being a royal prick, not to mention an insensitive brat." The tone of the always cheerful tai turned to a lower, domineering one.

Unable to speak for himself, Sesshomaru only huffed, his tongue slipping past his lips in an attempt to wet his dry lips. He felt so vulnerable, so weak that he was disgusted with himself. But, not matter how hard he tried to make his body return to it's normal, his control was minimum. He could barely stand, not to mention speak.

Reaching his quarters, Shinosamu grinned at his son, pushing the shoji door apart with one hand and dragging his slumping son to his bed, throwing his heated body on the cool sheets. It was funny in a way to see him emit so many pheromones from such a small drug, but, if he was honest, he was quite pleased with himself. Now, if he could get the little vixen to join his son, then everything would be fine. Ignoring the growl that came from the bed as Sesshomaru tried to get up to fight his father for the humiliation, the General walked out just in time to see Miroku running towards him with the vixen in question draped over one shoulder, fighting as best as she could.

Getting out of the way as Miroku all but threw his sister in the room, her form twisting in the air and the landing on her feet, Shinosamu slid the door shut, erecting a barrier.

"I will let you out after you do what you have to do! I already drugged him and you can't get out, so the only way out is if you put him out of his sexual misery!" Shinosamu added, feeling the girl scratch the barrier.

Walking away with a laughing Miroku in toe, Shinosamu ordered all around to not come near the lord's wing of the castle. He had some business with the dragoness and couldn't take care of these two at the same time. So he left the youngsters to do their job and he went to have a very serious discussion with Naya and then with her father. The girl almost drugged his son a couple of times before in an attempt to be mated to him sooner, but failing no the less thanks to Kagome's vigilance. The girl surely was the best choice for a mate his son could find. Sighing, Shinosamu hurried to where the sickening sweet smell came from, crackling his fingers, his claws glowing green.

**-x-x-x-**

**-x-x-x-**

Punching the barrier her sire had erected to keep her inside, Kagome grew more impatient as time passed, the low growls from behind her not helping her nerves at all. It was bad enough that she had agreed to find a drug strong enough to render the tai powerless and sexually active until the one he desired came to him, but to think that her father-figure had added her smell to the potion thus making the silver head lord react only to her, that was too much. Inhaling sharply, Kagome stifled a moan as his pheromones filled the room and made her body react to it's call.

Turning her head only slightly, Kagome almost came right there. The setting sun was cascading it's rays over the bed, bathing the tai in it's gorgeous embrace. Swallowing hard, unable to pry her eyes off of Sesshomaru as he sat there with his weight on his forearms, in his attempt to get up, Kagome thought that he was the embodiment of perfection. His long mane was sprawled over the bed, his bangs falling over his face, hiding his eyes, as he breathed in and out with difficulty. His alabaster skin shone brightly as if having millions of diamonds on it. His magenta stripes were ragged, making his striking features even more appealing to the eye. His haori was parted to the waist, his muscled chest receiving the sun's caresses. Barely stopping herself from drooling at the sight of his rippling muscles, Kagome froze in place when Sesshomaru's red eyes rose to meet hers. A low, primal growl reached her ears, as she jumped in her place.

"Come.. here..." he managed to say, his words barely audible, but demanding non the less.

Shaking, hugging the thin yukata her brother had managed to put on her, closer to her body, Kagome stepped closer to the impatient tai, his eyes roaming over her body, hungrily. She didn't even register when he jumped from the bed to tackle her down, his massive body pressing her smaller one to the ground with ease. Though she was scared out of her mind, Kagome couldn't suppress the low moan that escaped her lips when she felt his pulsing manhood on her inner tight as he lowered himself fully on her, his breath tickling her face. Turning her face to the side, exposing her neck in a submissive gesture, the young miko could not only hear but feel the low purr of pleasure from the drugged youkai.

"I...can't..." his sudden words made her jerk under him, wide blue orbs focusing on a scrunched up face, the torture he was undergoing making her own heart ache.

Slowly getting off of her, though her smell was intoxicating him, making him want to take her then and there with no regards to her feelings, Sesshomaru managed, somehow, to get back on the bed, burying his face in his soft pillows. Barely breathing, his eyes still trained on the girl that was on the floor, Sesshomaru took off his haori in one smooth pull, almost ripping the silk off his form and threw it in the corner. Still feeling restrained, he took off his hakama, somewhat pleased to see Kagome blush prettily, but not moving her eyes from his naked body. Huffing on the bed, his wide hand grabbing his throbbing erection almost painfully, he watched her lick her lips, her nipples getting hard as he started pumping his member.

'_She's naked under that yukata... what in the world were you thinking...' _ his mind tried to form coherent thoughts, but the pleasure that crossed his body when he flicked his thumb over the tip of his penis made him forget about everything.

Moving his hand up and down, pre-cum making everything nice and sleek, Sesshomaru eyed the way her chest rose and feel, the way her eyes fogged up with want and the way her small hand snaked to her weeping core. He wanted to do that do her, to feel her riding him, but he couldn't, wouldn't force himself on her no matter how much his body wanted her. He could feel other females in the shiro but all he could see was her, his Kagome, standing right before him in almost nothing, pleasuring herself as he tried to get rid of the problem his father had thrown in his lap, no pun intended. He wanted to get rid of the erection till he lost all the control he had on his body and attack her yet again. She was the only one that understood him and he didn't want to loose her, no matter what happened to him. Groaning in pleasure as he squeezed harder, throwing his head back on the bed, his eyes closed, fangs bared, Sesshomaru forgot about everything, or tried to forget at least.

As her fingers plunged in her wet core over and over again, the sight in front of her more than a sufficient stimulation, Kagome felt like the room just went on fire. She wanted to taste the white fluid that came from the tip of her love's cock, she wanted to lick him up and down and all over. She wanted him. His attraction was more than she could stand. Standing up, discarding the brownish yukata to the floor, her eyes trained on the muscled, rattling form on the king sized bed, Kagome neared her lord with careful steps, but he didn't seem to see nor feel her. Kneeling on the bed, between his parted legs, the young hanyo stuck out her tongue and gave her lord a long, hard lick matching his pace. Swirling her tongue over the tip as he jerked upwards into her face, Kagome hummed, gently pushing his arm away as she took control over him.

Arching off the mattress when the girl suddenly gave him a lick, his mouth opened in a soundless moan, Sesshomaru barely refrained himself from grabbing her head and plunging his aching erection into her mouth. Digging his claws in the silken sheets, Sesshomaru watched her work her mouth over his throbbing dick.

Sucking, licking and scrapping her fangs over his sensitive area, Kagome listened to his low groans of pleasure, liking the way he cupped her face when she paid more attention to the overly sensitive tip. She didn't like the bitter taste in her mouth too much but, if his jerking was of any indication, then that meant that she was going to suck one than she bargained. And another thing, he was HUGE! She could barely take half of him in, the other half being massaged by her hand. Though she knew that she could possibly take more of him, she couldn't risk it, or, at least, waited for him to tell her to do so.

Feeling really close to releasing, Sesshomaru took control, pushing her gently in order to take all of him in her miraculous mouth, though he could feel her gagging on him. It didn't take long for him to come in her mouth. Biting the inside of his cheeks, Sesshomaru ate his moan and watched his lover drinking everything he offered her and still lick him clean, even though, by the way tears went down her face, she hadn't enjoyed that as much as he did.

Pulling her up, loosing his will to fight off the desire he felt, noting that the drug had lost it's control over his will, Sesshomaru hugged the slightly coughing girl that stopped all motion when she was pressed flush against him.

"Tell... tell me to stop, Kagome... Tell me to stop and... and I will.." he whispered, his growling words making her shiver in his arms as she cupped his face between her palms.

"No... I love you... If you want me, then, my lord, take me..." her whisper made him widen his eyes.

Before she could say anything else, he captured her lips in a sheering kiss, his tongue gaining access to her mouth in mere seconds, the battle beginning. Gasping for air from time to time but not braking the kiss, Sesshomaru snaked his hands over her body. If he hadn't seen her naked when she had been a kid and not to mention seen numerous other females naked, then he wouldn't have been so aroused by her well endowed body. She truly was a treasure. Groaning, his erection back full force, the gorgeous youkai moved his mouth south, licking her neck, nibbling on the skin in search of a special spot that would make her tingle allover. Finding it, Sesshomaru took advantage of his domineering position, pitting her hands above her head, his tongue doing mind blowing things to her body. Slipping past her collarbone where he left a couple of love-bites, the tai attacked her round breasts, his mouth attaching itself on one of her nipples, sucking at them hard, biting but not breaking skin, feeling the girl's moans turn into semi-loud screams of his name.

Kagome was turning into mush right before him. And to think that she had been so endearing to tell him her most sacred feelings and giving herself to him without a second thought. In normal circumstances she would have been fighting with her decision but, with the beautiful male of her every fantasy licking her body and listening to it's responses, she had forgotten everything about that. Fisting her hands into his silver lock, noting to herself through her haze that his hair was softer than any silk she had ever felt, Kagome pulled him up for another kiss. He didn't seem to mind her forcefulness as she attacked his lips with her own.

As they parted for air, nibbling on her bottom lip, Sesshomaru suddenly lowered himself between her legs, parting them and inhaling sharply. Though he had gained his control back, her smell made it all turn to dust. It was the purest smell he had ever felt and it made him want more out of her. Sticking out his long tongue, he licked her wet opening, hard, reveling in her response. Moan after moan, scream after scream, he played more and more with her small bundle of nerves, plunging his tongue in her vagina, to taste her juices better. He could feel by the way her inner walls fluttered that she was very close to falling off the cliff of pleasure and, with one last, hard suck, he wasn't disappointed . Arching her body off the mattress, pushing him closer to her cuming core, Kagome vibrated with her orgasm, unable to say his name out of lack of oxygen.

When she came down from her high, blue eyes fogged with pleasure, fixed on him and no one else, the western lord thought that a sight more beautiful than this he had never seen. Ivory skin shone with sweat under the moonlight's caress, round breasts rose and fell, hard nipples brushing on his broad chest in ways that made him shudder, plump lips slightly parted invited him to kiss her again. Her black hair made a stark contrast with his but her beauty was surpassing anything he had seen until that moment.

"I think I know now what my old man wanted to tell me..." he whispered out of the blue, a clawed hand swiping her wet bangs from her face as he positioned at her opening, his narrow hips fitting perfectly between her legs.

Humming as she kissed the corner of his mouth, Kagome closed her eyes, hugging him close. When the tip of his erection pushed through her hymen, tears prickled her eyes, but his kiss made her forget about anything else.

Huffing from the restrain, Sesshomaru pulled out and then pushed back in, another three inches entering his lover as she arched her back from the pain, the smell of blood and tears making the air heavy. Licking her face as he pulled and pushed back in, his face buried at her neck, fangs enlarged, holding her still, the tai finally entered her fully with one smooth push. Barely breathing, Kagome thought that, as full as she felt like now, she would never feel again. He was the only one that filled her to the max, drawing pleasure out of pain as his engorged member brushed past a sensitive spot inside her that she didn't even knew existed.

Biting her neck as he started to thrust in her, Sesshomaru growled his pleasure as she submissively mewled her pleasure. Beginning at a slow pace in order no to hurt her, the silver head man was amazed to see his little vixen push back against him with more force than he had expected her to have, her legs hooked on his hips giving her leverage. Snarling at her as he increased his pace, the sound of skin slapping against skin almost driving him nuts, he found that she was impossibly tight, squeezing him in a vice grip as her pleasure heightened once more. Pulling out of her fully just as she was about to scream her release, Sesshomaru turned her on her belly, her ass in the air, only to slam in her from behind, his demon force at full power.

Screaming her release the moment he filled her once more in this new position, Kagome felt him taking his Alpha position over her, his mouth attached to her shoulder. Clawing at the bed, the young miko let him do to her body whatever he wanted. His hands moved over her body, pinching her sensitive nipples from time to time, or moving lower, his fingers playing with her clit, entering her already filled to the max opening with one or two digits, making her scream even louder every time he did that. But what surprised her the most was when the tall male stood on his legs, her hands on either side of her hips, pulling her back against him with every push he made, the power of his thrusts increasing. She could feel the tickling of his bangs against her back, his lips attached to her spine, tongue licking different spots as he continued his assault over her small body. Delicious moans escaped her mouth and, as they mingled with his groans of pleasure, she could have sworn he was rotating his hips in order to hit more spots in her because, as she felt the coil in her belly tighten, she could clearly feel all his length pulsate in her with every thrust he made.

Although the rational part of him was still active, somewhere in his mind, telling him that he was about to mate this hanyo girl, he couldn't care less. She was the only woman for him, and he had known that for a long time, though the prejudice she had been submitted to made him hide his feelings. He couldn't go to her and hug her or kiss her without drawing all the eyes to himself and he couldn't have afforded that. In the past. Right now, she was here with him, willing, ready and loving him. She truly cared for him and he could feel that.

Abandoning all the control he had, letting his beast out, Kagome welcoming the new change with another load scream as he rammed in her with enough force to drive her through the concrete wall, Sesshomaru covered the small body under him completely, his fangs breaking skin, the union forming before they knew what was happening. As his youki invaded her body, mingling with her own, Kagome lost all her senses as another and probably final orgasm hit her full force, rendering everything around her to black, except the single line that connected her to her passionate lover, who, with a deafening roar, shot his seed into her womb. His carnal cry drew the attention of all powerful youkai around, making them bow in front of his conquest.

Breathing heavily, slumping on his side, Sesshomaru cradled the powerless, beautiful girl in his arms, watching as her eyes fluttered close, her body snuggling closer to his, her head resting right above his thumping heart. It felt so good to be free of all the tension and not to mention the feelings he had willed himself in hiding. She now held the place of honor in his heart, being the main focus of his feelings and thoughts. Drifting off to sleep himself, Sesshomaru grinned at the idea that popped into his head.

**-x-x-x-**

**-x-x-x-**

"You... You...disgusting youkai! You stupid male! How dare you kick me out of _my _ shiro you..." the screeching voice drove all the attention of the awakening castle to the main gate where the green haired princess of the southern lands pointed a perfectly manicured finger in the wide chest of the bulk General of the Dog army, Shinosamu in person.

"Who said that this palace was yours, onna?" the blank voice of the other silver headed male of the shiro appeared next to his sire, cold eyes fixed on the now very submissive youkai female.

"But, weren't you going to mate me? Aren't I..." she tried to weasel herself out of the hole she had dug herself into.

"No. He only kept you here under probation. " the still sleeping figure of the beautiful raven haired hanyo appeared from one of the main windows with nothing on but the loosely tied haori of her new mate.

"You... you mated that whore?" the shriek that fallowed Kagome's appearance, made the two dog youkai cringe in pain.

But, before she could insult anyone anymore, Miroku flew from behind his sire, grabbing the dragoness's neck with brute force, lifting her off the ground. A low growl left his lips as Sesshomaru and Shinosamu approached him.

"If you were dare to talk to my sister or my lords in that manner again, be sure that I will kill you, though I am on a 'no-killing' policy." He all but roared at the frightened girl who barely nodded back.

Throwing her to the ground, Miroku stepped away, his face trained again of his sister's smiling profile. He was happy that his sire's plan worked and that those two were now together. She was now on a place where no one could touch her with empty words and threats, were none could do any harm to her or risk Sesshomaru's wrath.

"I already talked to your father, so he is going to come and pick you up. But not from here!" the coy smile of the older male brightened and chilled the atmosphere at the same time, the murderous glint in the golden pools making the girl pale.

Smirking, Sesshomaru turned around after glaring at the girl for one last time. He had closed his eyes one too many times when she had slept around the castle with whatever male she could get her hands on. She was better off in a brothel. Washing his hands with her, he rushed to 'discipline' his lover. She should know better than to come out in an outfit like that with so many males around. He will make that mark on her beautiful body even stronger while he was at it. He wanted to see the dog and cherry patterns on her skin get more vivid, maybe even 'blossom'. He was so engrossed in his dreaming that he didn't even hear his father mutter something about how much his heart had melted in just one night.

And it had, now being warmed up by another's. He will announce all over Nippon that he had chosen Kagome as his Alpha female, but right now he had other pressing matters, like, memorizing her body, though he knew that he will never get enough of her. She was truly the best out of him. His love, his heart, his future.

"And this is how my arrogant and stubborn son changed for the better. I have to handed to you, pup, you sister is wickedly good!" Shinosamu laughed as he watched his boy walk to continue what he had done all night.

"Maybe sir, but are you going to fight for them?" Miroku asked, looking at the sky, one lonely bird flying on it's own.

"Of course! They received the place of honor on the cardinal meeting long ago!" Shinosamu brushed the problem like he always did, his eye fallowing the lonely sparrow gather into a larger group with a happy chirp.

"And? What now, sire?" smirked Miroku, closing his eyes.

"Who knows?" the silver head male shrugged it off, turning on his heals and headed to the forest. "We will find out when we will get there, no?" he turned to wave at the beautiful brunette that smiled at him, sending a flying kiss in his direction.

Sighing, Miroku laughed it off and fallowed his sire, promising in his mind that he will return to see his nephews soon enough. His sire won't be able to stay away from his grandsons either. How happy the future seemed right now.

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**A/N: **I thank those who stop to read my stories! I thank you very much! And I give special cookies to those that leave a comment! (something like, let's see, a request for a oneshot? XD I want to award a prise to the first five that can give me lengthy comments about this story :D)

Thank you yet again for clicking on my story!


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